Revision as of 14:35, 4 July 2017

Our vision is to provide free access to information, the InfoInternet. In order to provide this access, we have established a low-cost architecture, supporting easy deployment and roll-out. We believe that people lacking the ability to pay for mobile broadband still need the opportunity to access information, and that they will walk to get access.

Components of the architecture are

• the local access network, consisting of wifi hot-spots. Thus we focus on access to information in places where people meet, rather than focus on coverage.
• the local core, consisting of (i) a switch for access to basic information versus internet information, and (ii) local storage or a local server for bandwidth-demanding local applications, e.g. video lectures
• the global core, providing a web portal for ordering of vouchers, and exchange the voucher informations with the local core.
• the access to local and basic information, as well as the voucher-based access to the Internet.

The platform is established, with hardware costs of the local core of about 400 US$, and access networks starting at 50US$. Thus, local operation can be established for less than 500 US$, and can be extended with additional access points and access networks. Basic Internet is in operations in Norway and in the DRC. We are eager to continue our BasicInternet deployment in developing economies, and need your help. Please let us know about opportunities and collaboration partners.

Ongoing operations

Our operations include

• providing access for patients in 4 hospitals in Norway as part of the GravidPluss project
• creating pilots in Tanzania and DRC as part of the "Non-discriminating access for Digital Inclusion" from InfoInternet access project
• operationalisation of the University connectivity in Kinshasa, performed by our business partner

History

Our activities started in back in 2010, when Guy Kamanda asked for help in developing Internet Access in Africa. We created the introduction Our_Dream_Internet_for_everyone and with the help of Vidar Sannerhaugen and Vetle Engesbak from Kjeller Innovasjon we started activities through Nextelco.

We established a series of pilots in 2011, and connected a.o. the Universite de Lisala, and had a workshop with the University in April 2012.

From there we developed the vision of Basic Internet, and created the infrastructure for free access to basic information through the project Basic_Internet_access.

In 2014 we started the Basic Internet Foundation from Kjeller Innovation and UNIK, following the Internet tradition we had at Kjeller. We have now joined forces with the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) for the Vision 2030.

We have connected Universities in Kinshasa, Congo (DRC) to BasicInternet hot-spots, and are working on further deployments.

Register your opportunities

If you see an opportunity for deployment, please inform us: